Fernando Pisani is also out due to issues with colitis, while defenceman Taylor Chorney continues to suffer from an ankle injury.

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

Injured forwards Marc Pouliot and Jean-Francois Jacques started early, hitting the ice an hour before the full team practiced. Jacques, who is suffering from a back injury, stayed on to participate in his first full practice since November 2nd.

After suffering a knee injury one month ago vs. Vancouver, Ryan Stone is also nearing his return to the line-up. "We expect to have him practicing with us by the weekend," Quinn said.

TOM FEELS THE HEAT

Tom Gilbert

Along with the team's medical staff, pressure is also being felt by defenceman Tom Gilbert. After missing plays that resulted in two Colorado goals, Gilbert was benched by Quinn and finished the game with only seven minutes of playing time.

"It's been a rough beginning [of the season] for me," Gilbert said after practice. "When you're sitting watching the game on the bench, it's a clear sign that you're doing something wrong. And obviously, I know what's going on. I know that my game has got to get better defensively, and I've got to keep working through it."

Quinn agrees with Gilbert's assessment, but won't place the blame solely on the blueliner's shoulders.

"We speak generally all the time about our positional play and missed assignments and I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to figure that he missed a couple plays there.

"But here we are nailing one guy: Tom. We've got six guys that have not been doing a strong job on the defensive zone coverage. That's one of the reasons why we've got so many goals against. We've got to get better at it.

"I'm not pointing at Tom," Quinn emphasized. "If you count six or seven defence, plus four or five centres, you've got 11 people you should be pointing fingers at. So let's not just pull one guy out of the pot." Author: Jen Sharpe | edmontonoilers.com

After being recalled from Springfield of the AHL, Dean Arsene arrived in Atlanta this morning to join the Oilers for practice. He could get into the lineup of Souray is not cleared to go.

"If we get approval on Sheldon, he might be out of luck but we don't know that yet," Oilers head coach Pat Quinn remarked.

Arsene has never played an NHL regular season game and has an opportunity to do so tomorrow.

"I can appreciate where he is right now. He's spent his dues, it would be nice if he had a chance," said Quinn.

"I didn't believe them at the start, thought it was a cruel joke."

"This is the first time I've been recalled. I didn't know what to do, what to pack. I felt completely lost, felt like I was a rookie in junior again."

"My mindset coming into training camp was, new organization and I wanted to impress. I thought I had a good camp."

CHORNEY DEPARTS

Defenceman Taylor Chorney departed for Edmonton today from Atlanta to get a medical assessment on his ankle. O'SULLIVAN BACK ON THE ICE

After leaving practice yesterday early due to an injury after a blocked shot, Patrick O'Sullivan was back on the ice today.

"It's part of the game, I guess. Nothing too serious, I'll be able to play tomorrow and that's pretty much it."

"I'd call it a bruised foot. It's hockey so stuff like that happens."

He skated with Sam Gagner and Mike Comrie for the second straight day. At 5'11", O'Sullivan stands as the tallest player on the highly-skilled line.

"The three of us can move the puck well. It might be the first time in my NHL career that I'm going to be the tallest guy on my line so I'm looking forward to that," O'Sullivan joked. "I get to provide the muscle."

O'Sullivan broke his scoring drought last game in Buffalo, giving him a boost of confidence as a result.

"To get a goal makes anybody feel good, instantly gives you more confidence and gives you more energy."

THRASHERS TOMORROW

The Oilers had an opportunity to do some pre-scouting on Friday night when they watched the Atlanta Thrashers face the Los Angeles Kings. The Thrashers laid a beating on L.A., winning 7-0.

Compounding the situation, Smid is sitll not quite 100% after a second bout with the flu.

"It's getting better and better every day. I would say the breathing is the biggest issue. My energy level is getting back too so I should be okay for the next couple of days."Author: Marc Ciampa, with files from Bob Stauffer

Shortly after the Oilers arrived at the Thrashers' practice facility in the Atlanta suburbs, GM Steve Tambellini addressed the media outside the rink, providing an update on illnesses and injuries within the club.

Of all the updates he delivered, the most current involved forward Fernando Pisani, who flew home earlier in the day due to complications with colitis.

"He'll go see his doctor back in Edmonton," Tambellini explained. "I'm not sure what the next steps are for him, but his time away I would determine to be indefinite at this point."

Pisani's teammates were supportive of the ailing veteran.

"He's had a tough go and you can see the last couple weeks he hasn't been feeling 100%. You could see it in his face," Sheldon Souray said. "He's a big part of the team, but it's definitely best for him to get healthy and make sure he's 100%."

"He came back that one summer and was still figuring out how to deal with it --that was tough," Shawn Horcoff remembered. "But I think this time it's different. It's obviously not as severe. However he needs to deal with it. It's a matter of life and just your overall health."

TAMBY'S UPDATES

Denis Grebeshkov

After suffering a knee injury in Wednesday's game in Buffalo, Denis Grebeshkov will be out until at least the end of the month. "Grebby looks like he'll be a few weeks for sure with an MCL sprain, but we'll probably know better after this week," Tambellini said.

Jean-Francois Jacques

Tambellini did not have any new information on Jacques, who has been out with back issues since the beginning of the month.

"Kenny (Lowe, Oilers Athletic Therapist) has told me that he's not as stiff, a little bit more flexibility than what he's had the last little while, so hopefully he's soon. We miss him."

Ryan Stone

According to Tambellini, another player who is making improvements is Ryan Stone, who suffered a knee injury October 19 vs. Vancouver. "He's moving along well. Kenny felt positive about him before we left. He's been on the ice and we've been really aggressive with him immediately after he was hurt, so hopefully soon. He's progressing well."

With Grebeshkov and Pisani back in Edmonton, and young d-man Taylor Chorney still out due to a sore ankle, Tambellini admitted that the team may call up a defenceman from Springfield.

"It's something that you can't control," he said. "There's some different things happening but you have to deal with it. We've dealt with a lot in this past month though."

Potentially adding to the injury issues, Patrick O'Sullivan left practice early. There is no news on his status.

HORCOFF READY

After practice, Shawn Horcoff declared himself ready to play on Sunday.

"I'm going to play on for sure," he stated."I think I was kind of close last game, but still the extra four days would be beneficial. Like I said, I'm feeling better and better every day. I'll be ready to go." Author: Jen Sharpe | edmontonoilers.com

The Oilers left Denver bright and early Monday morning, arriving in Canada's Capital city by 3pm. The team headed straight to the rink for an off-day practice, which started out with a creative drill orchestrated by veterans Steve Staios and Ethan Moreau.

Gathered at center ice, the players all switched sticks and played two games of shinny shooting the opposite way. Mike Comrie impressed the media with his ability to play right handed, while most of the other players looked slightly clumsy and awkward.

Although the lighthearted stick work display was taking it to the extreme, the Oilers have been no strangers to changes of other kinds this season. Illness and injury have impacted almost a dozen players on the team, and Monday was no different.

After being hit a few times Sunday night in Colorado -- including once in the face by the puck -- young defenceman Taylor Chorney took to the ice but quickly retired back to the locker room.

Head Coach Pat Quinn later announced that he was suffering from a sore ankle. "Later on in the game, he went down and someone fell on him, so there's a sprain in the ankle. He tried it but wasn't able to finish or even go out to practice."

Forward Robert Nilsson also missed practice. "Apparently he got hit in the head someplace during the game and has been tested by our trainers," Quinn explained. "On the plane he seemed fine, right about the acceptable stage, but after we got off the flight, apparently the numbers escalated to the point where he's feeling nauseous."

SMID & SOURAY SKATE

With Chorney and Nilsson questionable for tomorrow's game, the Oilers got some good news from Ladislav Smid and Sheldon Souray. Both players participated in practice for the first time since falling ill and suffering a concussion respectively.

"We're going to see in the morning where [Smid] is," Quinn said. "He's feeling better. I didn't talk to him after his practice but we put him up front for getting a little more skating for him ... Hopefully he might be ready for tomorrow and we're open to having him come in."

As for Souray, he said that he's happy to be skating with the team again. "It felt good. It takes a little while to get back and get your timing and start seeing things ... I'm just happy to get out there and get a little bit of rhythm and see where I'm at.

"I've still got a ways to go before I get in game shape, but it's just a big lift emotionally and mentally to get back out there." THE MONTH OF MOVEMBER CONTINUES

Brule points out the location of his nearly invisible 'stache.

The Oilers gamefaces are getting a little more grizzly as the road trip wears on, thanks in part to the Movember fundraiser. Nine players and three trainers are currently growing moustaches in support of prostate cancer, and we took updated photos of their progress today.

Notable 'stache news: Nine days in, Gilbert Brule is struggling to show any growth, while Zack Stortini and underdog Taylor Chorney are neck-and-neck in the cheesy category. Recent callups Liam Reddox and Ryan Potulny deserve honourable mentions for their excellent efforts both on the ice and above their lips.

After leaving Edmonton Saturday morning, the Oilers arrived in Denver in the early afternoon and prompty headed to the Big Bear Ice Den for practice.

With a few hours of headstart after being called up, forwards Liam Reddox and Ryan Potulny were already dressed and ready to skate when the team arrived.

Due to various injuries, Ales Hemsky, Shawn Horcoff, and Jean-Francois Jacques were not on the plane to Denver, and Head Coach Pat Quinn shuffled the lines to incorporate Reddox and Potulny.

Dustin Penner, Sam Gagner, and Patrick O'Sullivan skated on the top line during practice, while Mike Comrie, Gilbert Brule, and Robert Nilsson formed line number two.

Reddox filled the right spot with Andrew Cogliano and Fernando Pisani, and Ryan Potulny inserted himself between Ethan Moreau and Zack Stortini.

Denis Grebeshkov and Tom Gilbert, Jason Strudwick and Steve Staios, and Taylor Chorney and Lubomir Visnovsky formed the defensive pairings.

Defenceman Ladislav Smid is on the trip but continues to suffer from flu-like symptoms and did not skate. Sheldon Souray did not skate with the team but did stretch his legs on the ice after everyone had left. Assistant Coach Kelly Buchberger guided him through some skating drills.

CALL-UP COMMENTS

Reddox and Potulny said they were both surprised about being called up from the team's AHL affiliate in Springfield.

"I was definitely surprised when Coach (Rob) Daum called me into the office," Reddox said. "I've had sort of a slow start down there so it wasn't something I was expecting."

"I found out last night after our game that they had some guys injured up here and some guys are sick and things aren't going the way they want them to up here, so hopefully I can come up here and shake things up a little bit," Potulny added.

"I felt good down there (in Springfield). I'd like to offensively get going a little better, but I'm just playing a solid game and things will come. You can't grip your stick too hard. I'm not too worried about it -- I know that things will happen."

The Falcons are 6-5-2-1 through 14 games so far this season. Potulny has three goals and eight points, while Reddox has posted three goals and four points.

PISANI CUTS PRACTICE SHORT

Midway through Saturday's practice, forward Fernando Pisani got caught up in a collision and promptly left the ice. Pat Quinn later confirmed that Pisani was cut on the play and sent to the hospital for stitches.

"I wasn't sure why he left," Quinn admitted. "I saw him go down in the corner there and I kinda thought that maybe he's twinged his back again. But turns out that he got cut on the play and he's gone for some stitches and we think he'll be fine."Author: Jen Sharpe | edmontonoilers.com